GB2383932A - Fishing Hook - Google Patents

Abstract

A fishing hook comprising a sharp point 4 at the end of the hook, and a separate barb member 5 mountable on the hook adjacent the sharp point. The barb may be fastened to or mounted on the hook. The barb may be attached to the hook by a snap-fit connection, or by an annular part 6 of the barb which engages around a groove 8 in the hook. The hook and barb may have complimentary keying elements, to predetermine the rotational position of the barb on the hook. Preferably, the barb is made of resilient material such as plastics, and may be biodegradable. In an alternative hook the point and barb are provided by a unitary moulded plastics member fixed to the a metal hook member.

Description

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Fishing Hook This invention relates to fishing hooks, and provided in accordance with the invention is a fishing hook comprising a hook member with a sharp point for penetrating the mouth tissue of a fish, and a barb member formed separately hook member and fastened thereto adjacent the point. The barb member is preferably fixedly mounted on the hook member by means of a snap-fit connection.

Conventional fishing hooks have hook members made of metal and integral barbs generally formed by cutting an integral tang or tooth from the hook member in a machining operation during hook manufacture. This barb forming operation has a tendency to weaken the hook in the region where the barb is cut from it. The disadvantages of having to machine the metal hook member to form a barb with a sharp tip, and the consequent weakening of the hook can be averted by forming the barb as a separate element for assembly with the hook member in accordance with the invention.

In US-A-4922649 there is described a fishing hook with a hollow hook member and retractable barb formed by a flexible element which extends through the hollow member. This hook is complicated in construction and in use. The hook of the present invention can be easy to assemble and is used in exactly the same way as a conventional hook.

With the hook of the present invention the barb member is preferably made of plastics, in particular as a plastic moulding adapted for snap-on engagement with the hook member. The assembly of the barb member with the hook member can be performed by the angler or fisherman thereby providing, with a single hook, the option of fishing with a barbed or un-barbed hook depending

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on personal preference and the particular fishing circumstances. The barb member material is preferably resilient so that the tip of the barb can flex inwardly towards the adjacent hook, thereby to ease penetration of the hook point and barb through the mouth tissue of a fish, the barb subsequently springing back under its own resilience to a normal position to perform the usual barb function of preventing the fish from unhooking itself.

Both commercial and recreational fishermen catch many fish which are unwanted, for example because they are an unwanted species or too small, and which are often released back into the water without removing the hooks from the fishes mouths by simply cutting the fishing line to which hook is tied. Most of these fish die as a direct consequence of having the hooks lodged in their mouths. The hook barbs prevent the ejection of the hooks which in the majority of cases would be possible if the hooks were not barbed.

Furthermore, large numbers of fish are killed every year in the same way as a result of fishing lines breaking before the hooked fish are landed by the fishermen. In accordance with a further development of the present invention the barb member may comprise a bio-degradable plastic material whereby the barb member loses its integrity and/or the barb will cease to perform its fish retaining function after a relatively short time, e. g. not longer than a few days and preferably within about one day. With the barb losing its effectiveness fish swimming free with loose hooks caught in their mouths will be able, in the majority of cases, to eject the hooks and survive the experience of being hooked.

The fishing hook of the present invention has several advantages over conventional fishing hooks as explained above. To facilitate the snap-fit attachment of the barb member onto the hook member, the hook member may be provided with one or more projections for retaining the barb member which

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itself can comprise an annular part, e. g. a collar, through which the point of the hook member is inserted during assembly of the barb member onto the hook member. A keying means between the collar and hook member may be provided to ensure a predetermined rotational position of the barb about the hook member, such as in the conventional position between the point and a shank of the hook.

The invention is applicable to all shapes and forms of fishing hook in which a barb is associated with a hook point intended to penetrate the mouth tissue of a fish, although for purposes of further illustration and by way of example only, the invention is described in more detail hereinafter in relation to a conventional form of hook having a shank and a curved portion interconnecting the shank and the point. Of course a single barb member may be suitable for attachment to a variety of different shapes or forms of hook.

The present invention also provides a barb member for use in assembly of a hook according to the invention as described above. Furthermore, the invention resides in a fishing hook comprising a hook member adapted to receive a separate barb member for assembly of a hook embodying the invention as described above.

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :- Figure 1 is a side view showing a hook embodying the invention; and Figure 2 is an enlarged partial side view showing the unbarbed hook and barb member prior to assembly of the hook shown in Figure 1.

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The fish hook illustrated in Figure I comprises a metal hook member including a shank I having a proximal end with an eye 2 for attachment of a fishing line, and a distal end connected by a curved hook portion 3 to a sharp point 4. Fitted to the hook member adjacent the point 4 is a moulded plastics barb member 5 having a circular collar 6 extending around the hook member, and a barb 7 with a sharp tip projecting rearwardly and outwardly from the collar 6. As may be seen in Figure 2, the hook member has an annular groove 8 adjacent the point 4, the width of the groove 8 corresponding to the axial width of the collar 6.

The groove 8 can be formed by a milling or other machining operation. The collar 6 is engageable over the point 4 of the hook and with a snap fit into the groove 8 so that the barb member is securely retained on the hook member.

The plastics material of the barb member has some resilience so that in the assembled hook the barb 7 is capable of flexing inwardly towards the adjacent hook, which can facilitate penetration of the hook through mouth tissue of a fish without any impairment to the ability of the barb to retain the hooked fish on the hook. The material of the barb member 5 can be bio-degradable so that at least the barb 7 will lose its effectiveness within, say, about one day of the hook becoming lodged in the mouth of a fish which swims freely with the hook lodged in its mouth.

Modifications to the invention are of course possible without departing from the principles and scope of the invention. For example, the collar 6 could be split to facilitate assembly of the barb member with the hook member. Also, the collar 6 could be provided with a plurality of barbs 7 distributed around the collar, if desired. Furthermore, although not presently preferred it is possible to envisage a construction in which the point 4 ad barb 7 are provided by a unitary moulded plastics member fixed to the metal hook member.

Claims (12)

1. Claims: 1. A fishing hook comprising hook member, a sharp point at an end of the hook member for penetrating the mouth tissue of a fish, and a separate barb member mountable on the hook member adjacent the point.
2. 2. A fishing hook according to claim 1, wherein the barb member is fastened securely to the hook member.
3. 3. A fishing hook according to claim 1, wherein the barb member is fixedly mountable on the hook member.
4. 4. A fishing hook according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the barb member has a snap-fit connection with the hook member.
5. 5. A fishing hook according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the barb member has an annular part for engagement around the hook member.
6. 6. A fishing hook according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the hook member has a groove or projections for cooperation with the barb member to retain barb member on the hook member.
7. 7. A fishing hook according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the hook and barb members have complementary keying means to predetermine the rotational position of the barb member on the hook member.
8. 8. A fishing hook according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the barb member is made of resilient material whereby the tip of the barb can flex inwardly towards the hook member.

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9. 9. A fishing hook according to anyone of claims 1 to 8, wherein the barb member is made of plastic material.
10. 10. A fishing hook according to anyone of claims 1 to 9, wherein the barb member comprises biodegradable material.
11. 11. A fishing hook according to claim 1, wherein the sharp point of the hook is integral with the barb member.
12. 12. A fishing hook substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.